1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with a blade tensioning device for a scroll saw which permits quick selective adjustment of the tension of the blade. More particularly, it is concerned with a scroll saw including a pair of arms mounted on a frame for cooperative support of a saw blade and reciprocation by a power assembly. The uppermost, articulated arm is coupled with a camming mechanism for quick, selective tensioning of a replacement saw blade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scroll saws are widely used for fine woodwork by craftsmen and amateurs. The saws employ parallel arms which hold the blade and reciprocate in unison to accomplish a precise cutting action. It is necessary to provide some type of blade tensioning device to achieve proper tensioning of a particular blade designed for cutting a particular material.
Previous blade tensioning mechanisms for scroll type saws, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,735, permitted quick release and retensioning of the saw blade to a single,, preset tension. Thus, for example, a blade designed for use on a metal workpiece could quickly be replaced by another identical blade. However, replacement of the blade with one of a slightly different thickness designed for use on a wood or plastic workpiece required cumbersome and time consuming resetting of the tension to accommodate each new blade.